The blog of a Catholic woman who tries to weigh the events of a troubled society so as make informed choices.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

The Liberal Jerk

Those of us who are over the age of forty probably remember the moving, emotional scene from that classic movie called "The Jerk." You know, where Steve Martin's character is leaving his wife, and he says he doesn't need anything when he leaves. Remember?

As a canon lawyer, I can attest to the fact that the 1983 Code of Canon Law does indeed name subsidiarity as one of the guiding principles to the formulation of the laws of the Church. My well-marked version of the Code of Canon Law shows that principle 5 speaks of subsidiarity and a "healthy 'decentralization'" when it comes to making laws.

An AP story this afternoon cynically reports, "Republicans controlling the House are eying big cuts to food stamps and would make it more difficult
for illegal
immigrants to claim child tax credits as they piece together
legislation to cut $261 billion in the coming decade." This is a MUCH NEEDED cut to food stamps, as this Mr. EBT-rapper viral video illustrates. Obama cannot offer a workable budget himself, so all he can do is sling mud and ridicule at Ryan and the GOP, calling the Ryan budget "laughable," "a Trojan horse," and "social Darwinism." Once again, we have the liberal pot calling the conservative kettle black. But he can offer nothing to tackle the deficit crisis that he has inflicted upon our country.

So the Dems are having none of it when it comes to letting things go for the good of the nation and our way of life. They are like Navin as he decides (half-heartedly) to leave his wife. He says he doesn't need anything. Then, as he leaves, he keeps adding to his stash: the ash tray,
a paddle game, the remote control, matches, the lamp, the chair, etc.

Likewise the Dems, who offer lip service to their budget deficit intentions, cannot give up the goods either. "All I need is these food stamps. And this payroll tax cut. I don't need anything else. Except these birth control and sterilization payments. These food stamps, and the payroll tax cuts, and the birth control and sterilization payments, and I don't need nothing else. Except this unemployment insurance and these tax credits for illegal aliens, I need those. And these incentives for solar panels and electric cars, I really need those . . ."

And we can all hear his famous last words as he is walking out the door: “What
are you looking at? What do you think I am some kind of a jerk or something?”